What to visit on the Night of the Museums 2021?

This 15th of May sees the return of one of the most magical nights to visit Barcelona, the Nit dels Museus 2021 (Museums Night 2021). On Saturday night the most emblematic museums and buildings in the city and the metropolitan area open their doors to everyone exceptionally from 6 pm to 10 pm.

More than 70 cultural facilities in 8 cities are taking part in this activity: Barcelona, Cornellà, Badalona, Esplugues, L’Hospitalet, Sant Adrià, Sant Joan Despí and Santa Coloma. The open doors include both temporary exhibitions and the museums’ permanent collections. In addition, apart from opening their doors, most museums offer activities, from guided tours to workshops or educational games.

It is advisable to plan your visit a little in advance and check the opening times of the facilities you wish to visit, as not all museums offer the same opening hours. It is also advisable to make an appointment in advance due to coronavirus restrictions.

Night of the Museums 2021: Our recommendations

MNAC

The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya houses the largest collection of Romanesque mural paintings in the world, as well as Catalan Modernisme, with outstanding works by Antoni Gaudí and Ramon Casas. It also has works by great European painters such as Titian and Velázquez, as well as an outstanding collection of photography. The museum is located in the Palau de Monstjuïc, built for the International Exhibition held in Barcelona in 1929.

Fundació Joan Miró

Very close to the MNAC, also in Montjuïc, is the Fundació Joan Miró, a space that disseminates the work of the world’s most renowned Catalan painter. Despite having been in contact with the Surrealists in Paris and the Abstract Expressionists in New York, Miró never attached himself to any artistic movement and created a language of his own that still manages to move viewers of all ages. You will also find works by Miró around the city, such as the sculpture Dona i Ocell in the park that bears the artist’s name, or the Pla de l’Os Mural on the Ramblas.

The building that houses the foundation is also a work of art in itself, designed by the architect Josep Lluís Sert especially to dialogue with Miró’s works. In addition to Miró’s works and Sert’s building, the Fundació also offers spectacular views of the whole of Barcelona.

Picasso Museum

Another artist with his museum in the city is Pablo Picasso. The Malaga-born artist spent his formative years and youth in Barcelona, with which he always maintained many links. Among the outstanding works in the museum are the Las Meninas series, La espera, Arlequín, and some of his engravings.

The museum is located in Carrer Montcada, in the Born district, occupying five small palaces dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. Very close to Carrer Montcada is also the Born CCM, which also opens its doors during the Night of the Museums.

Cosmocaixa

If you’re interested in science, we recommend a visit to Cosmocaixa. This is one of the pioneering science museums in Europe, a space for popularising science that manages to capture even the most disinterested in science. The most impressive part of the museum is probably the Flooded Forest, a fragment of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest in the middle of Barcelona. Cosmocaixa also has the Universe Room, which offers a journey through the history of our planet and the universe. In addition, the museum is located in a green building and one of its main objectives is also to educate about sustainability.

Modernist buildings

In addition to the museums, some of the city’s most emblematic Modernist buildings are also open to the public, such as Palau Güell, La Pedrera, and the Modernista complex of the Hospital de Sant Pau. These Modernista gems are also worth discovering at night. For example, La Pedrera offers a free tour of the building, so you can visit the roof, the courtyard, or the rooms.

If you also want to study in Barcelona and enjoy all this heritage, find out more about our Bachelor in Management, our Master in Management, or one of our 5 MSc programs.